Recommendations | strategiccsrprogram

Recommendations for a Strategic CSR program

The researcher seeks to develop a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, based on best practices and new models used by leaders in CSR, that builds on the foundation of disparate community engagement elements.

The CSR strategy is broken down into six parts: Overall CSR strategy, Core Competency CSR, Corporate Philanthropy, Company Foundation (support of hospital communities), Employee Assistance Fund, and Employee Volunteerism.

Overall Program Strategy

Unite all community initiatives under one CSR program and organize responsibilities to achieve community engagement and impact goals.
Communicate the program internally and externally.
Create a Philanthropy Committee to support all CSR functions.
Track and measure the impact of CSR initiatives on employees and the community against the company's areas of focus. Consider hiring a third party vendor.
Join and support a regional or national CSR association to stay informed on latest research and best practices. Participate in furthering CSR research (e.g. Giving in Numbers report).
Publish an annual CSR report to showcase the company's impact in the local community and hospital communities across the country as well as sustainability initiatives.
Have a “face” of philanthropy in the community to give voice to the company’s initiatives.
Join the Nashville CSR professional group that gets together quarterly to share best practices and work together on CSR initiatives for the city.

Corporate Philanthropy

Formalize a sponsorships and donations process, and communicate it internally and externally. For efficiency, create an online application.
Implement a 1:1 (up to $200) matching gift program for corporate employees that supports local nonprofit agencies that provide direct healthcare services to people in need.

Employee Assistance Fund

As part of the overall CSR communication, remind employees of the purpose of the Fund and criteria for qualifying for support, highlighting the way the fund has helped employees in the past.

Core Competency CSR Programs

Leverage the company's assets and core competencies (values, objectives, skills, market focus) for maximum community impact.
Implement innovative key initiatives that utilize core competency CSR, shared value, or collective impact strategies for greater community impact.
Leverage the strength of all CSR elements against core competency programs, focusing giving, employee volunteerism, and hospital community engagement on a measureable program.

Community Foundation

Develop a strategic approach for individual hospital giving at the local level. Develop guidelines for hospital donations and contributions. In addition to individual community impact, use the total aggregated giving to support the company's CSR impact.
Provide an annual gift from the company foundation to the company's employee assistance fund. Announce with internal communication honoring the employee contributions.
Consider creating a unique grant program that addresses a healthcare issue or an award to a social entrepreneur in healthcare or other issue key to the company's mission.
Partner with a national nonprofit that both complements the company's focus on health and wellness and for which the employees are passionate.

Employee Volunteerism

Implement an employee paid volunteer time policy, and encourage employees to live out the mission of the company through service. Give employees at least 16 hours of paid volunteer time.
Provide and promote a variety of company sponsored volunteer projects throughout the year to corporate employees.

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Plan